title: When goal sharing produces support that is not caring.
abstract: Four studies used experimental and correlational methods to investigate the effect of a "partner-achievement goal," or a personal goal for a relationship partner's successful achievement. This goal led support providers to offer unhelpful support about how to play a computer game (Study 1). It also predicted poor achievement for dieting support recipients (Study 2). The effects of partner-achievement goals were moderated by recipient expectations of success and mediated by recipient effort. Recipients with low expectations of their own success requested that their provider partners with partner-achievement goals refrain from offering them support (Study 3); they also invested less time studying Latin grammar and learned fewer Latin words over one week (Study 4). Together, these findings highlight the unique behavioral consequences of partner-achievement goals for both members of a relationship.
authors.affiliation: New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. heather.barry@nyu.edu
authors.forename: Heather Barry
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kappes
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Shrout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012944:Social Support; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult